cold gray gaze
by moonvision
Summary: Beth thinks it's a fitting end for him. or: the dæmon AU no one asked for.


**notes** —i've been thinking about this for awhile, and just said fuck it, and i went for it. i just really dig dæmon au's, and i dig this show and its characters and i wanted to contribute something so, yeah. i really want to continue to write more in this sort of 'verse, let me know what you think! enjoy! (this is cross-posted on ao3)

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 **cold gray gaze**

* * *

Beth's eyes widen considerably, and through the rearview mirror she can see Oliver bristle as Valentina's plush tail brushes against him flirtatiously. Rio full-on grins when Beth can barely get a word out, stuttering and flushed.

"H-how do I even say that?" Beth scoffs while Oliver mews helplessly in the back, and the redhead can't help but curse her dæmon as he reveals just how affected she is.

"I'm sure you'll figure something out." Rio laughs. "Make me sound good though, yeah?" He slips out of her car easily, and Beth simply watches as Valentina gives Oliver and her a wink, before hopping onto the dash and out the door.

 **#**

Sara is covered in blankets on the couch, cuddling and petting Maree who is currently settled as a sweet little rabbit. Sara's breathing is labored, her eyes tired as she watches the television.

In the kitchen, Ruby sits at the table with Stan, Jay perched on the table and Giselle at Stan's feet. Jay's wringing his small paws nervously, his onyx eyes darting between Sara and Ruby, who is just as anxious as he is.

"How much does the GoFundMe have now?"

Ruby types away, hope burgeoning within her since she had seen that their post had been shared around more since the last time she and Stan had checked the GoFundMe. Maybe some of her friends had secretly rich family members who anonymously donated, and they'd suddenly be able to pay for Sara's new kidney.

Jay climbs onto Ruby's shoulders, watching as the web page loads, and while Ruby's hope deflates into defeat, Jay let's out a small anguished sob.

"It's only gone up to $850." Ruby's vision blurs with tears, even as Giselle licks her fingers gently and Stan caresses her cheek.

 **#**

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ellen is small but indignant, the spines on her back gone rigid as Boomer appears behind the door. Annie tells him it's a bad time, closing the door on him. When he insistently pushes the door open again, Ellen is knocked off of Annie's shoulder and onto the ground.

Boomer and Helga are both intoxicated, as Helga wobbles dangerously out of the man's khaki pocket and onto the floor with Ellen. Growling at the oversized rat, Ellen starts to spit profanities as Boomer ignores Annie's continued protests, running forward to try and bite to man when he physically grabs Annie.

"Get your dirty hands off her you creep!" Helga tries to knock Ellen on her back, but the rat's paws touch the raised spines of Ellen's back and Helga squeaks loudly.

Oliver comes bounding in, his ears lifted and his tail raised defensively. His amber eyes land on Annie bent over the kitchen counter, and he yells for Beth to come quick.

Beth comes round the corner, hair still soaked and mascara smeared, pointing her son's water gun at Boomer with all the intensity of a loaded weapon.

 **#**

Sadie sits quietly in the passenger seat, trying to mask sadness behind a small smile, and Annie notices.

"Hey, what's wrong kiddo?" Ellen watches curiously from the dash, her eyes on Kai who sits on Sadie's lap, uncharacteristically quiet.

Sadie's dæmon was still trying to settle, but Kai was especially fond of the quokka form, after Sadie had read in a book that they were the friendliest creatures on Earth.

"Mom...can we try something? And you'll promise you won't judge me or hate me?"

Annie's eyebrows shoot up, and Ellen titters, her little face set in a gentle smile.

"Hating you is an impossibility, Sadie."

Kai snuggles into Sadie's chest, comforting the preteen as the beginnings of tears form at the corners of the child's eyes.

"Could you maybe use 'he' or 'him' when you talk about me? I just don't feel comfortable with 'she' or 'her.'" Sadie looks away from Annie determinedly, tears falling onto his cheeks as he stares out the car window.

Annie's heart stutters.

Ellen scurries towards Sadie, nearly falling off the dashboard, and Annie leans towards her child to tap him on the shoulder.

"Hey, look at me."

Reluctantly, Sadie turns to face Annie, eyes already a bit puffy.

"I would never, emphasis on _never_ , judge or ever hate you. I love you to the ends of this Earth, Sadie. You're my everything and if a change of pronouns will make you feel even a fraction more comfortable with yourself you bet your ass that from now on you're gonna be he or him or just Sadie, my beautiful and perfect child."

Annie laughs when Ellen falls onto Sadie's lap, leaving small kisses on Kai's fur. Sadie gives her a watery smile, and Annie kisses his tears away.

 **#**

The dæmons aren't technically allowed on the soccer field, but most of the kids have them in pocket-sized forms so they can sneak them into practices and games.

Sara waves from the bench, and Ruby snorts as she sees the tip of Maree's tail peeking out of her daughter's soccer tee. Stan gives their daughter a big thumbs up, grinning while Giselle barks happily next to him, getting some looks from the parents around them.

Ruby is content, until Jay sits up and lets out a small hiss, his eyes on a small bird fluttering near them. Ruby groans at the sight of the puffy lark, as Mary Pat comes over, hefting one of her many kids in one arm and a large baby bag in the other.

Her dæmon, _Angus_ , Ruby recalls with disdain, sets himself on Mary Pat's head, fussing over the overly swaddled baby and the tiny gecko hiding around her neck. Another one of Mary Pat's children trails behind her, and one of the others Ruby knows is on the field.

Mary Pat had bothered them last game, with her barely concealed threat to report Ruby and the girls to the police.

"Hello again." Ruby grins tightly, annoyed with this woman for overstepping her boundaries once again.

"How you doing?" Stan smiles politely, and Giselle nods in acknowledgement, her intense eyes glued to the back of Sara's jersey.

Mary Pat gives Ruby a barely concealed look, her eyes falling on Stan. "Funny you ask, as I'm still dealing with that whole money issue I told you about?"

Jay grumbles under his breath.

"What do you think would be the repercussions for the thief in my situation?" Mary Pat asks innocently, and Stan relays the frankly high jail time one would face for the felony of stealing over thousands of dollars another person's mailbox.

Ruby's fake smile fades into a neutral expression, trying to ignore the other woman's goading.

Jay bares his teeth at Mary Pat.

Ruby decides that robbing the grocery store really is their only option.

 **#**

Valentina has the sharpest set of eyes Oliver has ever seen.

Raised mostly around dog, cat, and bird dæmons, Oliver is intrigued by the small fox.

Her eyes are a cool gray, matching the lovely stripe of fur down her back and a darker version of the fur around her snout. The ash fur fades into a dull copper that reminds Oliver of his own coat, something that alights a small tingle of pleasure in the feline's mind.

Valentina looks nothing like Louise.

Louise is all feathers. Her plumage is entirely olive, and the curve of her beak is a stark orange in comparison. Her eyes are a beady black, and Oliver used to love having those eyes watch only him, but it's been ages since he's seen the affectionate gaze from years ago.

When Valentina sets her cold gaze on him, Oliver doesn't know if he wants to run away or get closer. Her tiny laugh, though rare, casts a warmth throughout him that feels entirely new.

Oliver isn't an idiot.

He notices every single time Rio looks over Beth, even the times when she isn't even paying him any mind.

He can see the hunger in Rio's eyes, the desire.

He knows because he's seen it hidden in Valentina's smiles.

 **#**

"I don't need all that. I just wanna be super famous."

Dean gives Amber a look between confusion and lust, right before he lurches forward to smother her neck in kisses. Leg in the air, Amber moans softly as his fingers find their way beneath her panties.

In the corner, Indy is cooing loudly as he nuzzles against Louise. Louise's feathers are disheveled and she quietly honks in delight, her plumage fluttering.

The shutters in the office are all shut tight, and Dean's office door is locked. It's nearing closing time, and he's made sure that barely anyone is left in the dealership, citing the need to work on some paperwork.

Amber pants loudly, and Dean bites her plump lips, using his hands to unbuckle his pants, making quick work of pulling himself out of his boxers.

Amber's shrieks are high in pitch, her chest bouncing with each thrust.

Dean groans at the sight of the blonde hair across his desk, the sharp angles of her jaw, the line of her pink lips.

He rolls up her stringy top, and his dick twitches at the sight of her lacy black bra.

He gets in a few more thrusts, soaking in her constant stream of "yeahs" and "fucks", before he pulls out and comes onto her flat tummy with a loud groan.

 **#**

"Oh, hell no. Really?"

Annie cackles, Ellen tucked into her jacket pocket tittering.

"You're a sick, _sick_ , woman."

Annie agrees with Ruby with a grin, meanwhile Beth and Oliver look on in confusion.

"Will someone tell me what happened?"

"Well it was either you or my eleven-year-old, yanno?"

Ruby shows her phone to Beth, looking completely over it. Jay is shaking his head in disgust.

Beth flinches at the dirty and frankly disgusting picture on Ruby's phone, and Annie cackles again.

"Hostage peen." Ruby sighs. "Can we go?"

Beth gapes and Oliver has closed his eyes in resignment, never truly phased by the lengths Annie will go to.

"Told you I had it." Annie grins.

 **#**

(Beth and Oliver come home one night, to find a raspy voice calling out for them rumbling, 'Honey, I'm home.'

Oliver's fur is up in tufts, Valentina's gaze is empty of any emotion.

Rio sits at the head of the dining room table - his knuckles are bloody and his grin is sharp.

He slides his gun across the table, and Beth grabs it quickly.

"So what you think? You got what it takes?"

Dean and Louise are tied up together, the goose dæmon is disheveled but Dean is bruised and broken looking.

Beth thinks it's a fitting end for him.)

 **#**

 _finito._


End file.
